Tortoise eating own poo!!?

Question

Is it normal for a heinmanns tortoise to eat its own poo. my tortoise is 6 months old and eats his own poo, why is this? Please help thank you!!

Also how can i give him more calcium in his diet!!

Answer 1

Although this is disgusting, it is perfectly normal, in a wide variety of animals. The digestive tract of most animals, including ourselves, is not 100% efficient. Many nutrients still exist in an animals "poo", and in the wild especially, where food can be scarce, animals often eat their own poo for the nutrients that still exist. Your vet may offer an additive for their food which they claim makes their poo taste bad. (Hello???? How good can it taste to start with????). However, this practice is not harmful to your pet, however socially unacceptable it may be.

Answer 2

This is called cacophagy, and it is normal. A lot of animals do this, and it is common in tortoises- even healthy tortoises. There are a lot of theories about it.

Calcium is simple- add a sprinkle of calcium carbonate a couple times a week- like a light salting. It is debated as to whether or not the calcium should include D3. I prefer plain calcium.

You can try a cuttlebone for the tortoise to chew on, but not all tortoises will eat it.

Answer 3

Hi
Whilst it isn't usual, it is normal, for a hermanns tortoise to eat it's own poo. You can do daily spot cleaning checks of his enclosure to reduce the times he can do this. At 6 months your tortoise should be having daily calcium sprinkled on his food. Buy this in the form of limestone flour from any horse food suppliers in a 3kg tub. It will last for ages. Leave a cuttle bone in his enclosure (the type you give birds). He will bite this from time to toime and it will help keep his beak trimmed as well as providing some calcium. He also needs a mineral and vitamin supplement such as Nutrabol 2-3 times a week.

Answer 4

Haha. i do no longer know if it is common yet mine did do it too! the priority is, she tasted the poop as quickly as and in no way ate it lower back, exceedingly on account that I provide a glance out each now and then to the place my turtle is and take a serviette, and with it sparkling all of the poo on the container, then I wash my arms!